Sherman Alexie Talks About Reading, Writing And More

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Allison Frost/OPB

Writer Sherman Alexie was on Think Out Loudin October when we announced that he had been chosen as the Multnomah County Everybody Reads author for 2013. He spoke with us, and our audience at Literary Arts, about his young adult novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian as well as a newly published collection of his writing called Blasphemy.

Alexie talked about his own Native American identity and how he often contradicts other people’s expectations. He also said the ideal reader for his young adult book is a “poor, brown male” because,

It means they have a chance. It means my book gave them a sliver of light in their lives. Because books are going to save you. If you’re a poor kid in this country, the only thing that’s going to save you is books. That’s your only chance. And to have a kid fall in love with books because of mine? That’s incredible.

Have you read Sherman Alexie’s work? What spoke to you in his writing?